What Tokai do I have

[StanleyDenmark]

Hey there

I have recently bought a Tokai Strat, but to be honest I can’t get a hold of year and model.
The guy I bought it from said it was an ST-40 from 1984. But I don’t make sense to me with the searches I’ve done regarding serial number, headstock and logo script.

The closest I can get is an ST-70 from 1985, but still this doesn’t really add up. Could anyone out there help? Thx

 

[Sigmania]

Cool guitar. I believe it is from a period with not a lot of info, around 1985-1987 or so.

The six digit serial number starting with 2xxxxx seems to fit around 1986/87.

See here:

Six Digit Serial Numbers With 2xxxxx

And here is a rough timeline that I started working on to sort this stuff out:

Tokai Strat Copy Timeline 1977- Present

If you open it up, the production code probably has a - sign instead of an = sign.

Also, if you have a brass grounding plate or not will help narrow down the time frame. That plate was phased out in 1987 I believe.

Brass Ground Plate

 

[Sigmania]

And those saddles indicate a lower priced model. Molded rather than bent steel.

So it surely has poly finish.

Would be cool to see pics of the pickups as well.

 

[Sigmania]

The headstock shape is for selling in markets where Fender holds sway.

I believe the model would have the prefix AST for the American market?

 

[StanleyDenmark]

Thx for the quick reply I’m out for some new years celebration but as soon as I get home I will have to open it up and check the things you mention And take a lot of pictures. I will post them asap

 

[Sigmania]

Here is the 1985/86 catalog.

Yours is different having the "Goldstar" on the headstock instead of the AST-62.

Will be interesting to see what yo find under the hood.

 

[StanleyDenmark]

Here is the 1985/86 catalog.

Yours is different having the "Goldstar" on the headstock instead of the AST-62.

Will be interesting to see what yo find under the hood.

So here we go - for me as a rookie I don’t get a lot of info from this. What is your diagnosis

 

[Sigmania]

That is fascinating!

Your guitar has both the - sign and the = sign. Crazy. It starddles the change over which was 1985/86 I believe?

I can't see your serial number. Does it start with an L?

It was made in the period with the brass ground plate, but lower end models did not have that. Another clue. And what looks to be ceramic pickups.

 

[StanleyDenmark]

 

[Sigmania]

It may be similar to the TST40 shown here in the 1985 Electric Guitar catalog.

So maybe AST40??

 

[StanleyDenmark]

But what about the headstock then ?

 

[StanleyDenmark]

And does this mean that the info about serial numbers and model on tokairegistrary is no good at all? I am so confused

 

[Sigmania]

View attachment 829

Ahhhh. That's right.

Voidoid56 had one in another post with that - mark and the brass plate from 1987 with the serial number 222587.

So yours would not be after his I would assume.

1986 may be your year? 1985 and early 87 are also possibilities though.

Fascinating!

 

[Sigmania]

That minus sign appears after 1985 from what our resident guru Peter Mac said in an older post.

I haven't been able to ask him about that since. I am thinking it could also possibly be 1985?

The Registry needs work. I just posted a thread about that yesterday and would like to see it updated.

The ST70 was an earlier model that had a slab fretboard. Not sure about any ST70s after 1984. This is not that.

The pickups and absecnce of the brass grounding plate in association with the marks in your code indicate a lower priced model like the TST40 as I was saying above.

 

[Sigmania]

Here is a thread I started to try to show the changes in Tokai STs over time. Obviously it is not complete and a work in progress.

Tokai Strat Copy Timeline 1977- Present

 

[Sigmania]

And some of the confusion with the Registry involves the market being talked about. Tokai made a confusing variety of models to deal with laws in different counttries. The AST was made for markets where Fender had some influence. Your guitar may have been made for the US market.

 

[Sigmania]

But what about the headstock then ?

Sorry, lots of different things going on with your guitar.

That pic is of TSTs with the traditional headstock

Your guitar has the American market headstock, AST.

Same period, same general specs, different headstock shape.

 

[Sigmania]

And I am wondering when they dropped the "AST62" moniker and went to "Goldstar" on these?

So many different balls in the air with this guitar:

headstock shape
body codes of both types
6 digit serial number starting with 2xxxxx
"Goldstar" name
no brass ground plate
etc

 

[Sigmania]

Voidoid56 knows how to read the date codes on these pots. Yours look a lot like the one he dated to March 1987 (73)

Yours looks like one of yours may be "74"? Hard to see.

I am wondering if it is April 1987?

Wiring looks unchanged.

Hopefully he will chime in.

 

[Sigmania]

And does this mean that the info about serial numbers and model on tokairegistrary is no good at all? I am so confused

And the reason that table you were using is confusing is that it is from a 1982 catalog.

Your guitar is from years later after the numbering system changed.

Again, the Registry needs help...